Wednesday, January 30, 2008
The Kite Runner (Forster, 2007)
Directed by Marc Forster
Starring: Khalid Abdalla, Zekeria Ebrahimi, Shaun Toub, Ahmad Khan Mahmidzada, Atossa Leoni
Grade: D
Monday, January 28, 2008
The Greatest Thing You'll Ever Learn Is To Link, and Be Linked In Return
Another of my favourite bloggers, and my ultimate favourite film critic, is Nick Davis. His site NicksFlickPicks just celebrated its 10th anniversary. A major milestone. I surf his site regularly, whether it's to read one of his countless, mind-numbing, and incredibly deep reviews, or to search out a grade for some random 1956 film I've just seen. I was dying to know his thoughts on Come Back, Little Sheba, a film I absoloutely loved. He didn't have a grade up for it, so I e-mailed him and he promptly responded with his thoughts. He's not keen on the film actually but that isn't the point. Haha. A classy, lovely guy. And SO cute.
Also, I simply must single out Nathaniel, who, had I not stumbled upon his brilliant site The Film Experience, back when I was searching out Oscar commentary on 2003's Cold Mountain snub, and way before I even knew about critics awards and precursors, I wouldn't know any of the other bloggers mentioned in this post, and probably wouldn't even have a blog. His podcast with Marisa Tomei endears the pair of them to me, and the SAG dicussion afterwards is great. I don't really have any Oscar obsessives to chat with here in North-East England (cue the violins), and it's kind of comforting to listen to people discuss awards in the way that you see them write about them. If you know what I mean.
All About My Movies: Distresses me with her weird infatuation with Peter Crouch, though I do admire your dedication to the sport Emma.
The Cellar Door: Clearly loves this year in film. No quabble with the SAG results and none of Oscar's BP lineup scores lower than an A- grade.
Cutting Room Reviews : Completely trods all over Little Children (pun unintentional) with his brilliant review. I know that's SO last year, but it's the thing I remember most about this neat blog.
The Gilded Moose: Hilariously offensive about John McCains wife. Harsh but he is a republican.
The Glorious Diatribe: Has an in-depth look at next year's possible Supporting Actor candidates. It never ends, does it?
Goatdogblog: Can't begrudge proclaiming 300 as the year's pinnacle in Visual Effects. I feel the same way, however much its aesthetic obsession repelled me.
In The Mood For Blog: Didn't like 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days! Anything to be different.
Joe's Movie Corner: Incorrectly predicted that Cate Blanchett would win the SAG. But then that's no crime. The crime here is who actually did win it (sorry, I did warn of Dee-dissing this month -- I don't care how legendary she is).
Low Resolution: LOVES Anna Faris. And why shouldn't he? Is there anyone better at playing the bimbo?
Mainly Movies: Reminds me how good Sam Rockwell was in Jesse James, with his sixth-place Supporting Actors. One of them is totally making my five (wait till the end of February).
Pink Is The New Blog: Manages to capture Kylie looking fabulous and Mika looking awful. Way to go.
Queering The Apparatus: Finds himself puzzled about some of the Oscar nominations (aren't we all?) and also has a cute boyfriend. I officially hate him.
Rural Juror: Is a bloggie nominee! Awards, Awards, Awards, Awards, Awards. Congrats!
Stale Popcorn: Owes me an apology for depressingly bringing up one of the biggest Oscar injustices ever, the 2003 Supporting Actress gong (and I even like Cold Mountain (which I'm now gonna have to add to the labels seen as I've mentioned it twice already in this post) .. maybe time for a repeat viewing?)
StinkyLulu: Has a wonderful write-up of Atonement's sole nominated Actor, Saoirse Ronan. And thanks again Bri for letting me take part in a Supporting Actress Smackdown. Was great fun!
Strange Culture: Was in the same room as Daniel Day-Lewis. Jealousy is a vast understatement.
Victim of the Time: Makes me ashamed for having not seen Sense and Sensibility, and seems to agree with me about The Kite Runner, a review of which I'll post tomorrow. Hint: It's awful.
O.K. I think that's it. I hope I haven't forgotten anyone. If there's anyone I haven't mentioned that links to this blog I'd be more than happy to exercise some more linkage. I'll be adding all these to the sidebar and making a point of linking more often. Signing out...
DGA & SAG Winners
In the week leading up to the Oscar ceremony I'll be making my final predictions and attempting to sum up all of the major races. As with every year, some of the categories are sewn up and some aren't. Oscar turned its nose up at the Guilds this year, shunning one of its favourites, Into the Wild, and going with the snubbed Atonement, in turn ensuring only one its big five matched with this year's SAG Ensemble nominees. Unsurprisingly the one match took home the award. Here are the DGA and SAG winners:
DGA - Joel & Ethan Coen - No Country For Old Men
SAG:
Actor in a Leading Role - DANIEL DAY-LEWIS – “There Will Be Blood”
Female Actor in a Leading Role - JULIE CHRISTIE – “Away From Her”
Male Actor in a Supporting Role - JAVIER BARDEM - “No Country For Old Men”
Female Actor in a Supporting Role - RUBY DEE - “American Gangster” (The world's gone mad)
Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture - NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN
_ JAVIER BARDEM
_ JOSH BROLIN
_ GARRET DILLAHUNT
_ TESS HARPER
_ WOODY HARRELSON
_ TOMMY LEE JONES
_ KELLY MACDONALD
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
R.I.P. Heath Ledger
Nomination Totals
No Country For Old Men
There Will Be Blood
7 Nominations
Atonement
Michael Clayton
5 Nominations
Ratatouille
4 Nominations
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Juno
3 Nominations
The Bourne Ultimatum
Enchanted
La Vie En Rose
Sweeney Todd
Transformers
2 Nominations
3:10 To Yuma
American Gangster
The Assassination of Jesse James...
Away From Her
Elizabeth: The Golden Age
The Golden Compass
Into The Wild
Pirates 3
The Savages
1 Nomination
12
Across The Universe
August Rush
Charlie Wilson's War
The Counterfeiters
Eastern Promises
Gone Baby Gone
I'm Not There
In the Valley of Elah
Katyn
The Kite Runner
Lars and the Real Girl
Mongol
No End In Sight
Norbit
Once
Persepolis
Sicko
Surf's Up
Taxi To The Dark Side
War/Dance
Official Oscar Nominations 2008 & Reaction
Best motion picture of the year
“Atonement”
“Juno”
“There Will Be Blood”
Prediction Score: 3/5
Achievement in directing
Julian Schnabel - “The Diving Bell and the Butterfly”
Jason Reitman - “Juno”
Tony Gilroy - “Michael Clayton”
Joel & Ethan Coen - “No Country for Old Men”
Paul Thomas Anderson - “There Will Be Blood”
Prediction Score: 4/5
Reaction: Well obviously they adore Juno, because I believe Reitman's only other nomination is for the ISA. Points for unpredictability though. Juno a contender for the win now?
Best actor in a Leading Role
Daniel Day-Lewis in “There Will Be Blood”
Johnny Depp in “Sweeney Todd The Demon Barber of Fleet Street”
Tommy Lee Jones in “In the Valley of Elah”
Viggo Mortensen in “Eastern Promises”
Prediction Score: 4/5
Reaction: Wow. Tommy Lee Jones makes it for a performance only previously nominated by the Golden Satellites. A prize for a good year most probably, and a shun to the young contenders to the Actor crown, Hirsch, Gosling and McAvoy. Oscar likes experience here.
Performance by an actor in a supporting role
Casey Affleck in “The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford”
Javier Bardem in “No Country for Old Men”
Philip Seymour Hoffman in “Charlie Wilson’s War”
Hal Holbrook in “Into the Wild”
Tom Wilkinson in “Michael Clayton”
Prediction Score: 5/5
Reaction: Pretty routine, although the lack of love for Into the Wild and surprising lead nom for Jones probably means that Holbrook was close to being ousted for Tommy.
Performance by an actress in a leading role
Cate Blanchett in “Elizabeth: The Golden Age”
Julie Christie in “Away from Her”
Marion Cotillard in “La Vie en Rose”
Laura Linney in “The Savages”
Ellen Page in “Juno”
Prediction Score: 4/5
Reaction: My poor Angelina! :'(
Performance by an actress in a supporting role
Cate Blanchett in “I’m Not There”
Ruby Dee in “American Gangster”
Saoirse Ronan in “Atonement”
Amy Ryan in “Gone Baby Gone”
Tilda Swinton in “Michael Clayton”
Prediction Score: 4/5
Reaction: FYI the next month will comprise of numerous digs at the overrated cameo of the now Oscar-nominated Ruby Dee.
Best animated feature film of the year
“Persepolis” (Sony Pictures Classics)
“Ratatouille” (Walt Disney)
“Surf's Up” (Sony Pictures Releasing)
Prediction Score: 2/3
Achievement in art direction
“American Gangster”
“Atonement”
“The Golden Compass”
“Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street”
“There Will Be Blood”
Prediction Score: 3/5
Achievement in cinematography
“The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford”
“Atonement”
“The Diving Bell and the Butterfly”
“No Country for Old Men”
“There Will Be Blood”
Prediction Score: 5/5
Achievement in costume design
“Across the Universe”
“Atonement”
“Elizabeth: The Golden Age”
“La Vie en Rose”
“Sweeney Todd The Demon Barber of Fleet Street”
Prediction Score: 3/5
Best documentary feature
“No End in Sight”
“Operation Homecoming: Writing the Wartime Experience”
“Sicko”
“Taxi to the Dark Side”
“War/Dance”
Prediction Score: 3/5
Best documentary short subject
“Freeheld”
“La Corona (The Crown)”
“Salim Baba”
“Sari’s Mother”
Achievement in film editing
“The Bourne Ultimatum”
“The Diving Bell and the Butterfly”
“Into the Wild”
“No Country for Old Men”
“There Will Be Blood”
Prediction Score: 3/5
Best foreign language film of the year
“Beaufort” (Israel)
“The Counterfeiters” (Austria)
“Katyń” (Poland)
“Mongol” (Kazakhstan)
“12” (Russia)
Prediction Score: 3/5
Achievement in makeup
“La Vie en Rose”
“Norbit”
“Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End”
Prediction Score: 1/3
Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original score)
“Atonement”
“The Kite Runner”
“Michael Clayton”
“Ratatouille”
“3:10 to Yuma”
Prediction Score: 3/5
Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original song)
“Falling Slowly” from “Once”
“Happy Working Song” from “Enchanted”
“Raise It Up” from “August Rush”
“So Close” from “Enchanted”
“That’s How You Know” from “Enchanted”
Prediction Score: 2/5
Best animated short film
“I Met the Walrus”
“Madame Tutli-Putli”
“Même Les Pigeons Vont au Paradis (Even Pigeons Go to Heaven)”
“My Love (Moya Lyubov)”
“Peter & the Wolf” (BreakThru Films)
Best live action short film
“At Night”
“Il Supplente (The Substitute)”
“Le Mozart des Pickpockets (The Mozart of Pickpockets)”
“Tanghi Argentini”
“The Tonto Woman”
Achievement in sound editing
“The Bourne Ultimatum”
“No Country for Old Men”
“Ratatouille”
“There Will Be Blood”
“Transformers”
Prediction Score: 3/5
Achievement in sound mixing
“The Bourne Ultimatum”
“No Country for Old Men”
“Ratatouille”
“3:10 to Yuma”
“Transformers”
Prediction Score: 2/5
Achievement in visual effects
“The Golden Compass”
“Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End”
“Transformers”
Prediction Score: 1/3
Adapted screenplay
“Atonement”
“Away from Her”
“The Diving Bell and the Butterfly”
“No Country for Old Men”
“There Will Be Blood”
Prediction Score: 4/5
Original screenplay
“Juno”
“Lars and the Real Girl”
“Michael Clayton”
“Ratatouille”
“The Savages”
Prediction Score: 4/5
Blood Spilled on Greenwood's Oscar Dreams
Happy Nomination Day everyone! It feels like the announcement passes in a mere ten seconds but the wrath of the supporters of Oscar's annual snubees is always fun.
Monday, January 21, 2008
Final Oscar Predictions: Picture & Director
Picture
Atonement
Director
Paul Thomas Anderson - There Will Be Blood
Final Oscar Predictions: Acting
Julie Christie – Away From Her
Marion Cotillard – La Vie En Rose
Angelina Jolie – A Mighty Heart
Ellen Page – Juno
George Clooney – Michael Clayton
Daniel Day-Lewis – There Will Be Blood
Johnny Depp – Sweeney Todd
Emile Hirsch – Into the Wild
Viggo Mortensen – Eastern Promises
Actress in a Supporting Role
Catherine Keener – Into the Wild
Saoirse Ronan – Atonement
Amy Ryan – Gone Baby Gone
Tilda Swinton – Michael Clayton
Reasoning: AMPAS seem to love Keener, and she's gotten more attention than Vanessa Redgrave. I don't like Ruby Dee's performance so I can't bring myself to predict her.
Actor in a Supporting Role
Casey Affleck – The Assassination of Jesse James…
Javier Bardem – No Country For Old Men
Philip Seymour Hoffman – Charlie Wilson’s War
Hal Holbrook – Into the Wild
Tom Wilkinson – Michael Clayton
Reasoning: It's Hoffman or Tommy Lee Jones. Both have had big years but Hoffman's has been bigger. I'm pulling for Tommy though. Tom Wilkinson could be snubbed for them both, but I think this is a more realistic line-up.
Final Oscar Predictions: Writing & Design
Juno
Knocked Up
Michael Clayton
Ratatouille
The Savages
Reasoning: The WGA noms plus Ratatouille. I dropped Lars and the Real Girl because I think it can only get in if Gosling does, and I'm not predicting Ryan.
Adapted Screenplay
Atonement
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Into the Wild
No Country For Old Men
There Will Be Blood
Reasoning: I'm going on the strength of the film because I don't think there are any particularly dominant screenplays in this race.
Art Direction
Atonement
Elizabeth: The Golden Age
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Sweeney Todd
There Will Be Blood
Reasoning: 'Period' films usually dominate this category.
Costume Design
3:10 To Yuma
Reasoning: Ditto.
Make Up
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Reasoning: Of the shortlist these three are by far the most popular.
Final Oscar Predictions: Techs & Sound
Atonement (Seamus McGarvey)
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (Janusz Kaminski)
No Country For Old Men (Roger Deakins)
There Will Be Blood (Robert Elswit)
Reasoning: The ASC nominees and general consensus, although Into the Wild could make an appearance here, should it turn out to be the major force some think it will be.
Atonement
The Bourne Ultimatum
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Michael Clayton
No Country For Old Men
Reasoning: Usually similar to the BP lineup. Bourne's quality editing has become common knowledge.
Visual Effects
300
The Bourne Ultimatum
Transformers
Reasoning: For all its faults 300's FX are so blatantly marvellous. I think the Bourne film is gonna do well in the techs since it got raves and obviously has technical fans if CAS and BAFTA are anything to go by.
Sound Mixing
American Gangster
Hairspray
No Country For Old Men
Sweeney Todd
Transformers
Reasoning: Anything remotely musical, technically assured + POPULAR.
Sound Editing
300
The Bourne Ultimatum
Pirates of the Caribbean 3: At Worlds End
Ratatouille
Transformers
Reasoning: Animated films tend to do well here. The rest are guesses.
Original Score
Atonement (Dario Marianelli)
Eastern Promises (Howard Shore)
The Kite Runner (Alberto Iglesias)
Lust, Caution (Alexander Desplat)
There Will Be Blood (Johnny Greenwood)
Reasoning: Well-known people with a presence in the precursors.
Original Song
Enchanted ('That's How You Know')
Hairspray ('Come So Far')
Into the Wild ('Guaranteed')
Love In The Time Of Cholera ('Despedida')
Once ('Falling Slowly')
Reasoning: The BFCA noms plus Shakira.
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Final Predictions: Animated, Documentary & Foreign
Persepolis
Ratatouille
The Simpsons Movie
Reasoning: These seem to be the only three with enough fans. Bee Movie may have some but The Simpsons are part of America's iconography really, and thus will surely be included.
Documentary Feature
In The Shadow of the Moon
Into Great Silence
No End in Sight
Sicko
Taxi to the Dark Side
Reasoning: No End In Sight seems to be the most popular critical choice. Is it possible to ignore Michael Moore? And the other three are the only ones eligible that I could find mentioned in any critics nominations this year.
Foreign Language Film
12 (Russia)
The Counterfeiters (Austria)
Days of Darkness (Canada)
Katyn (Poland)
The Trap (Serbia)
Reasoning: Anything involving war, repression, and/or somebody AMPAS may have vaguely heard of has to be at an advantage.
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
And the Nominations Cease
BAFTA Nominations
BEST FILM
AMERICAN GANGSTER – Brian Grazer/Ridley Scott
ATONEMENT – Tim Bevan/Eric Fellner/Paul Webster
THE LIVES OF OTHERS – Quirin Berg/Max Wiedemann
NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN – Scott Rudin/Joel Coen/Ethan Coen
THERE WILL BE BLOOD – JoAnne Sellar/Paul Thomas Anderson/Daniel Lupi
BEST BRITISH FILM
ATONEMENT – Tim Bevan/Eric Fellner/Paul Webster/Joe Wright/Christopher Hampton
THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM – Frank Marshall/Patrick Crowley/Paul L Sandberg/Paul Greengrass/Tony Gilroy/Scott Z Burns/George Nolfi
CONTROL – Orian Williams/ Todd Eckert/Anton Corbijn/Matt Greenhalgh
EASTERN PROMISES – Paul Webster/Robert Lantos/David Cronenberg/Steve Knight
THIS IS ENGLAND – Mark Herbert/Shane Meadows
THE CARL FOREMAN AWARD
for Special Achievement by a British Director, Writer or Producer in their First Feature Film
CHRIS ATKINS (Director/Writer) – Taking Liberties
MIA BAYS (Producer) – Scott Walker: 30 Century Man
SARAH GAVRON (Director) – Brick Lane
MATT GREENHALGH (Writer) – Control
ANDREW PIDDINGTON (Director/Writer) – The Killing of John Lennon
DIRECTOR
ATONEMENT – Joe Wright
THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM – Paul Greengrass
THE LIVES OF OTHERS – Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck
NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN – Joel Coen/Ethan Coen
THERE WILL BE BLOOD – Paul Thomas Anderson
ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
AMERICAN GANGSTER – Steven Zaillian
JUNO – Diablo Cody
THE LIVES OF OTHERS – Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck
MICHAEL CLAYTON – Tony Gilroy
THIS IS ENGLAND – Shane Meadows
ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
ATONEMENT – Christopher Hampton
THE DIVING BELL AND THE BUTTERFLY – Ronald Harwood
THE KITE RUNNER – David Benioff
NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN – Joel Coen/Ethan Coen
THERE WILL BE BLOOD – Paul Thomas Anderson
FILM NOT IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE
THE DIVING BELL AND THE BUTTERFLY – Kathleen Kennedy/Jon Kilik/Julian Schnabel
THE KITE RUNNER – William Horberg/Walter Parkes/Rebecca Yeldham/Marc Foster
THE LIVES OF OTHERS – Quirin Berg/Max Wiedemann/Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck
LUST, CAUTION – Bill Kong/James Schamus/Ang Lee
LA VIE EN ROSE – Alain Goldman/Olivier Dahan
ANIMATED FILM
RATATOUILLE – Brad Bird
SHREK THE THIRD – Chris Miller
THE SIMPSONS MOVIE – Matt Groening/James L Brooks
LEADING ACTOR
GEORGE CLOONEY – Michael Clayton
DANIEL DAY-LEWIS – There Will Be Blood
JAMES McAVOY – Atonement
VIGGO MORTENSEN – Eastern Promises
ULRICH MÜHE – The Lives of Others
LEADING ACTRESS
CATE BLANCHETT – Elizabeth: The Golden Age
JULIE CHRISTIE – Away From Her
MARION COTILLARD – La Vie en Rose
KEIRA KNIGHTLEY – Atonement
ELLEN PAGE – Juno
SUPPORTING ACTOR
JAVIER BARDEM – No Country for Old Men
PAUL DANO – There Will Be Blood
TOMMY LEE JONES – No Country for Old Men
PHILIP SEYMOUR HOFFMAN – Charlie Wilson’s War
TOM WILKINSON – Michael Clayton
SUPPORTING ACTRESS
CATE BLANCHETT – I’m Not There
KELLY MACDONALD – No Country for Old Men
SAMANTHA MORTON – Control
SAOIRSE RONAN – Atonement
TILDA SWINTON – Michael Clayton
MUSIC
AMERICAN GANGSTER – Marc Streitenfeld
ATONEMENT – Dario Marianelli
THE KITE RUNNER – Alberto Iglesias
THERE WILL BE BLOOD – Jonny Greenwood
LA VIE EN ROSE – Christopher Gunning
CINEMATOGRAPHY
AMERICAN GANGSTER – Harris Savides
ATONEMENT – Seamus McGarvey
THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM – Oliver Wood
NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN – Roger Deakins
THERE WILL BE BLOOD – Robert Elswit
EDITING
AMERICAN GANGSTER – Pietro Scalia
ATONEMENT – Paul Tothill
THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM – Christopher Rouse
MICHAEL CLAYTON – John Gilroy
NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN – Roderick Jaynes
PRODUCTION DESIGN
ATONEMENT – Sarah Greenwood/Katie Spencer
ELIZABETH: THE GOLDEN AGE – Guy Hendrix Dyas/Richard Roberts
HARRY POTTER AND THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX – Stuart Craig/Stephenie McMillan
THERE WILL BE BLOOD – Jack Fisk/Jim Erickson
LA VIE EN ROSE – Olivier Raoux
COSTUME DESIGN
ATONEMENT – Jacqueline Durran
ELIZABETH: THE GOLDEN AGE – Alexandra Byrne
LUST, CAUTION – Pan Lai
SWEENEY TODD: THE DEMON BARBER OF FLEET STREET – Colleen Atwood
LA VIE EN ROSE – Marit Allen
SOUND
ATONEMENT – Danny Hambrook/Paul Hamblin/Catherine Hodgson
THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM – Kirk Francis/Scott Millan/Dave Parker/Karen Baker Landers/Per Hallberg
NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN – Peter Kurland/Skip Lievsay/Craig Berkey/Greg Orloff
THERE WILL BE BLOOD – Christopher Scarabosio/Matthew Wood/John Pritchett/Michael Semanick/Tom Johnson
LA VIE EN ROSE – Laurent Zeilig/Pascal Villard/Jean-Paul Hurier/Marc Doisne
SPECIAL VISUAL EFFECTS
THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM – Peter Chiang/Charlie Noble/Mattias Lindahl/Joss Williams
THE GOLDEN COMPASS – Michael Fink/Bill Westenhofer/Ben Morris/Trevor Woods
HARRY POTTER AND THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX – Tim Burke/John Richardson/Emma Norton/Chris Shaw
PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: AT WORLD’S END – John Knoll/Charles Gibson/Hal Hickel/John Frazier
SPIDER-MAN 3 – Scott Stokdyk/Peter Nofz/Kee-Suk Ken Hahn/Spencer Cook
MAKE UP & HAIR
ATONEMENT – Ivana Primorac
ELIZABETH: THE GOLDEN AGE – Jenny Shircore
HAIRSPRAY – Nominees TBC
SWEENEY TODD: THE DEMON BARBER OF FLEET STREET – Ivana Primorac
LA VIE EN ROSE – Jan Archibald/Didier Lavergne
SHORT ANIMATION
THE PEARCE SISTERS – Jo Allen/Luis Cook
HEAD OVER HEELS – Osbert Parker/Fiona Pitkin/Ian Gouldstone
THE CRUMBLEGIANT – Pearse Moore/John McCloskey
SHORT FILM
DOG ALTOGETHER – Diarmid Scrimshaw/Paddy Considine
HESITATION – Julien Berlan/Michelle Eastwood/Virginia Gilbert
THE ONE AND ONLY HERB MCGWYER PLAYS WALLIS ISLAND – Charlie Henderson/James Griffiths/Tim Key/Tom Basden
SOFT – Jane Hooks/Simon Ellis
THE STRONGER – Dan McCulloch/Lia Williams/Frank McGuinness
THE ORANGE RISING STAR AWARD
(voted for by the public)
SHIA LABEOUF
SIENNA MILLER
ELLEN PAGE
SAM RILEY
TANG WEI
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Brit Award Nominations
BRITISH MALE SOLO ARTIST
JAMIE T
MARK RONSON
MIKA
NEWTON FAULKNER
RICHARD HAWLEY
BRITISH FEMALE SOLO ARTIST
BAT FOR LASHES
KATE NASH
KT TUNSTALL
LEONA LEWIS
PJ HARVEY
BRITISH GROUP
ARCTIC MONKEYS
EDITORS
GIRLS ALOUD
KAISER CHIEFS
TAKE THAT
MASTERCARD BRITISH ALBUM
ARCTIC MONKEYS – FAVOURITE WORST NIGHTMARE
LEONA LEWIS - SPIRIT
MARK RONSON – VERSION
MIKA – LIFE IN CARTOON MOTION
TAKE THAT – BEAUTIFUL WORLD
BRITISH BREAKTHROUGH ACT
BAT FOR LASHES
KATE NASH
KLAXONS
LEONA LEWIS
MIKA
BRITISH LIVE ACT
ARCTIC MONKEYS
KAISER CHIEFS
KLAXONS
MUSE
TAKE THAT
BRITISH SINGLE
LEONA LEWIS – Bleeding Love
MIKA – Grace Kelly
TAKE THAT – Shine
KAISER CHIEFS – Ruby
SUGABABES – About You Now
MARK RONSON Ft AMY WINEHOUSE – Valerie
KATE NASH – Foundations
THE HOOSIERS – Worried About Ray
JAMES BLUNT – 1973
MUTYA BUENA – Real Girl
INTERNATIONAL MALE SOLO ARTIST
BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN
KANYE WEST
MICHAEL BUBLE
RUFUS WAINWRIGHT
TIMBALAND
INTERNATIONAL FEMALE SOLO ARTIST
ALICIA KEYS
BJORK
FEIST
KYLIE MINOGUE
RIHANNA
INTERNATIONAL GROUP
ARCADE FIRE
EAGLES
FOO FIGHTERS
KINGS OF LEON
WHITE STRIPES
INTERNATIONAL ALBUM
ARCADE FIRE – NEON BIBLE
EAGLES – LONG ROAD OUT OF EDEN
FOO FIGHTERS – ECHOES SILENCE PATIENCE & GRACE
KINGS OF LEON – BECAUSE OF THE TIMES
KYLIE MINOGUE – X
CRITICS’ CHOICE AWARD
ADELE
OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION TO MUSIC
SIR PAUL MCCARTNEY
The show takes place on Wednesday 20th February.
Monday, January 14, 2008
Producers Guild {Nominations}
PRODUCER OF THE YEAR AWARD IN THEATRICAL MOTION PICTURES
“The Diving Bell and the Butterfly” (Miramax)
“Juno” (Fox Searchlight)
“Michael Clayton” (Warner Bros.)
“No Country for Old Men” (Miramax/Paramount Vantage)
“There Will Be Blood” (Paramount Vantage/Miramax)
PRODUCER OF THE YEAR AWARD IN ANIMATED THEATRICAL MOTION PICTURES
“Bee Movie” (Dreamworks Animation)
“Ratatouille” (Walt Disney Pictures/Pixar Animation)
“The Simpsons Movie” (20th Century FOX)
PRODUCER OF THE YEAR AWARD IN DOCUMENTARY THEATRICAL MOTION PICTURES
“Body Of War” (Phil Donahue Productions/Mobilus Media)
“Hear And Now” (HBO)
“Pete Seeger: The Power Of Song” (The Weinstein Company)
“Sicko” (The Weinstein Company)
“White Light/Black Rain: The Destruction Of Hiroshima And Nagasaki” (HBO)
Golden Globe Winners!
Best Picture: Atonement
Best Actor, Drama: Daniel Day Lewis, There Will Be Blood
Best Actress, Drama: Julie Christie, Away From Her
Best Picture Comedy/Musical: Sweeney Todd
Best Screenplay: No Country for Old Men
Best Actor Musical/Comedy: Johnny Depp, Sweeney Todd
Best Director: Julian Schnabel, Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Best Supporting Actress: Cate Blanchett, I’m Not There
Best Supporting Actor: Javier Bardem, No Country for Old Men
Best Actress - Musical Comedy: Marion Cotillard, La Vie En Rose
Animated Film: Ratatouille
Best Song: Guaranteed
Best Score: Atonement
Best Foreign Film: The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Prediction Score: 10/14 - I did well!
Saturday, January 12, 2008
Bridge To Terabithia (2007)
For the most part the screenwriters know exactly what to push and what not to push, introducing themes of child abuse, neglect, grief, and making none of these issues feel out of place, half-hearted or banded around for the mere sake of it. It even includes questionable parents that are neither token villains nor epiphanic figures, and don't really seem to learn anything in the film. If somebody asked you to write a book or a film about growing up, where on earth do you start? Terabithia draws all of its characters with such truth, and a knowledge of what it really means to be a kid, juxtaposing the honesty of these characters with the archetypal constructs of their inner demons in the imaginary world. The film's uncompromised vision is extended to what is its most touching element, the central relationship. Jesse and Leslie are never reduced to a cute couple, and there's never any blatant hell-for-leather attempt to suggest that they're going to be. Terabithia achieves most of what it achieves through this careful approach, crafting a relationship out of solace, and a fantasy world out of escapism.
It comes as an overwhelming shock then -- not really in the sense of tone or theme, but approach -- that after spending the first act of the film endearing Leslie to us, she is then killed off on the hour mark. Far be it from me to criticise something for not adhering to genre convention but if this knocked me for six, what is it going to do to the average 8-10 year-old who see this film, and probably don't even understand death? The event itself is cinematically problematic but when coupled with the film's marketing techniques makes Terabithia seem the insidious picture that at heart it really isn't. Death isn't used in the film to make the point but rather to re-enforce it, her presence in the film and lack thereof used to strengthen Jesse's arc, which is admittedly very touching. I feel harsh laying into a film that gets so much right, but the one thing it gets wrong is close to horrific. Leslie as a character, and her death, really calls into question her role in the film, her purity and apparent perfection almost suggest she be the film's 'angel' and not a character at all. There's no doubting that she has the most impact of any character but curiously her own family troubles are explored somewhat, which now makes me wonder why.
The oustanding uncertainty, and the overall lack of any real closure, will not please the film's average audience, yet for us who have lived through childhood and adolescence it strikes a telling chord. It takes a well-made picture to use death so brashly and abruptly and yet not feel manipulative. It stumbles a little in its final act but Terabithia is a gutsy and beautiful film because crucially, it knows what it wants to say, and doesn't need to jump through your hoops to say it.
Central Ohio Film Critics {Winners}
1. No Country for Old Men
2. The Lives of Others (Das Leben der Anderen)
3. Juno
4. Once
5. There Will Be Blood
6. Lars and the Real Girl
7. 3:10 to Yuma
8. The Savages
9. Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
10. The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (Le Scaphandre et le papillon)
Best Director
Joel Coen and Ethan Coen, No Country for Old Men
Runner-up: Paul Thomas Anderson, There Will Be Blood
Best Actor
Daniel Day-Lewis, There Will Be Blood
Runner-up: Ryan Gosling, Lars and the Real Girl
Best Actress
Ellen Page, Juno
Runner-up: Amy Adams, Enchanted
Best Supporting Actor
Javier Bardem, No Country for Old Men
Runner-up: Ben Foster, 3:10 to Yuma
Best Supporting Actress
Cate Blanchett, I'm Not There
Runner-up: Emily Mortimer, Lars and the Real Girl
Best Ensemble
No Country for Old Men
Runner-up: 3:10 to Yuma
Actor of the Year - For an exemplary body of work
Philip Seymour Hoffman, Before the Devil Knows You're Dead , Charlie Wilson's War,
and The Savages
Breakthrough Film Artist
Sarah Polley, Away from Her (for directing and screenwriting)
Runner-up: Ellen Page, Juno (for acting)
Best Cinematography
Óscar Faura, The Orphanage (El Orfanato)
Runner-up: Roger Deakins, No Country for Old Men
Best Screenplay – Adapted
Joel Coen and Ethan Coen, No Country for Old Men
Runner-up: Paul Thomas Anderson, There Will Be Blood
Best Screenplay – Original
Diablo Cody, Juno
Runner-up: Tamara Jenkins, The Savages
Best Score
Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová, Once
Runner-up: Dario Marianelli, Atonement
Best Documentary
The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters
Runners-up (tie): In the Shadow of the Moon and No End in Sight
Best Foreign Language Film
The Lives of Others (Das Leben der Anderen)
Runner-up: The Orphanage (El Orfanato)
Best Animated Film
Rataouille
Runner-up: Paprika
Best Overlooked Film
Air Guitar Nation
Runner-up: The Lookout
Golden Globe Predictions
Best Motion Picture - Drama
American Gangster
Atonement
Eastern Promises
The Great Debaters
Michael Clayton
No Country For Old Men
There Will Be Blood
Prediction: Atonement. Having only seen four of these it is by far my favourite. It seems to be treading water in this race but it could be just that little bit late to hit it hard. I hope so anyway. It's the nomination leader so I'm picking it to win.
Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama
Cate Blanchett – Elizabeth: The Golden Age
Julie Christie – Away From Her
Jodie Foster – The Brave One
Angelina Jolie – A Mighty Heart
Keira Knightley – Atonement
Prediction: I've seen all but Blanchett. My favourite here is the stunning Julie Christie but I wouldn't mind a Jolie win, given that she won't win anything else. I think Christie will grab this prize.
Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama
George Clooney – Michael Clayton
Daniel Day-Lewis – There Will Be Blood
James McAvoy – Atonement
Viggo Mortensen – Eastern Promises
Denzel Washington – American Gangster
Prediction: Having seen all of these except the frontrunner and probable winner, Daniel Day Lewis, I'm rooting for James McAvoy. Clooney should be close though.
Best Motion Picture - Musical Or Comedy
Across The Universe
Charlie Wilson's War
Hairspray
Juno
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Prediction: Interesting. Any of these could win. If Juno manages to take this award it means it'll be incredibly strong for Oscar, given that they nearly always pick a musical. I think they're gonna go for Sweeney here.
Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy
Amy Adams – Enchanted
Nikki Blonsky – Hairspray
Helena Bonham Carter – Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Marion Cotillard – La Vie En Rose
Ellen Page – Juno
Prediction: Cotillard Vs. Page with Adams an outside shot. Blonsky is a little fish and I'd be surprised (but delighted) if she were to win here. They'll have to adore Hairspray. I'm going for Cotillard.
Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Musical Or Comedy
Johnny Depp – Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Ryan Gosling – Lars and the Real Girl
Tom Hanks – Charlie Wilson's War
Philip Seymour Hoffman – The Savages
John C. Reilly – Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story
Prediction: They love Johnny, and why shouldn't they?
Best Performance by an Actress In A Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
Cate Blanchett – I'm Not There
Julia Roberts – Charlie Wilson's War
Saoirse Ronan – Atonement
Amy Ryan – Gone Baby Gone
Tilda Swinton – Michael Clayton
Prediction: As much as I'd like Tilda Swinton to win she's probably the only one of these five who doesn't stand a chance. I think they may go for child star Saoirse Ronan, and back up their nomination leader some more. Boy does it need backing up lately.
Best Performance by an Actor In A Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
Casey Affleck – The Assassination Of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford
Javier Bardem – No Country For Old Men
Philip Seymour Hoffman – Charlie Wilson's War
John Travolta – Hairspray
Tom Wilkinson – Michael Clayton
Prediction: Come on John Travolta!!! I'm picking Bardem though. Haha.
Best Animated Feature Film
Bee Movie
Ratatouille
The Simpsons Movie
Prediction: Overrated rat story.
Best Foreign Language Film
4 Months, 3 Weeks And 2 Days (Romania)
The Diving Bell And The Butterfly (France, United States)
The Kite Runner (United States)
Lust, Caution (Taiwan)
Persepolis (France)
Prediction: I'll be appalled if the offensively simple Kite Runner wins over Ang Lee's gorgeous Lust, Caution. Diving Bell should have no problem here.
Best Director - Motion Picture
Tim Burton – Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Ethan Coen, Joel Coen – No Country For Old Men
Julian Schnabel – The Diving Bell And The Butterfly
Ridley Scott – American Gangster
Joe Wright – Atonement
Prediction: The Coens are stronger than their film here.
Best Screenplay - Motion Picture
Atonement
Charlie Wilson's War
The Diving Bell And The Butterfly
Juno
No Country For Old Men
Prediction: I'm gonna go for Juno, since Diablo Cody somehow seems to be making screenwriting fashionable amidst a strike at its base camp.
Best Original Score - Motion Picture
Grace Is Gone
The Kite Runner
Atonement
Eastern Promises
Into The Wild
Prediction: Atonement
Best Original Song - Motion Picture
"Despedida" – Love In The Time Of Cholera
"Grace Is Gone" – Grace Is Gone
"Guaranteed" – Into The Wild
"That's How You Know" – Enchanted
"Walk Hard" – Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story
Prediction: Enchanted!
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Writers Guild {Nominations}
ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
JUNO, Written by Diablo Cody, Fox Searchlight
MICHAEL CLAYTON, Written by Tony Gilroy, Warner Bros. Pictures
THE SAVAGES, Written by Tamara Jenkins, Fox Searchlight
KNOCKED UP, Written by Judd Apatow, Universal Pictures
LARS AND THE REAL GIRL, Written by Nancy Oliver, MGM
ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN, Screenplay by Ethan Coen & Joel Coen
THERE WILL BE BLOOD, Screenplay by Paul Thomas Anderson
THE DIVING BELL AND THE BUTTERFLY, Screenplay by Ronald Harwood
INTO THE WILD, Screenplay by Sean Penn
ZODIAC, Screenplay by James Vanderbilt
Wednesday, January 09, 2008
Online Film Critics Society {Awards}
Picture: No Country For Old Men
Director: Joel & Ethan Coen - No Country for Old Men
Actor: Daniel Day Lewis - There Will Be Blood
Actress: Julie Christie - Away From Her
Supporting Actor: Javier Bardem - No Country for Old Men
Supporting Actress: Amy Ryan - Gone Baby Gone
Original Screenplay: Juno
Adapted Screenplay: No Country For Old Men
Cinematography: No Country for Old Men
Editing: No Country For Old Men
Original Score: There Will Be Blood
Documentary: The King of Kong
Foreign Film: The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Animated Film: Ratatouille
Breakthrough Filmmaker: Sarah Polley - Away From Her
Breakthrough Performer: Nikki Blonsky -Hairspray
Tuesday, January 08, 2008
2007: The Box
ER
*Brothers and Sisters
Coronation Street
ER
Gavin and Stacey
Hollyoaks
Any Dream Will Do
Ant and Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway
The F Word
*The Friday Night Project
The Graham Norton Show
The Paul O'Grady Show
Simon Amstel - Never Mind the Buzzcocks
David Dimbleby - Question Time
Noel Edmonds - Deal or No Deal
Paul O'Grady - The Paul O'Grady Show
*Jeff Stelling - Gillette Soccer Saturday
Come Dine With Me
Deal or No Deal
Eggheads
*Eight out of Ten Cats
Never Mind the Buzzcocks
Loose Women
Property Ladder
*Question Time
Who Do You Think You Are?
Directors Guild {Nominations}
Paul Thomas Anderson, There Will Be Blood
Joel and Ethan Coen, No Country for Old Men
Tony Gilroy, Michael Clayton
Sean Penn, Into the Wild
Julian Schnabel, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Broadcast Film Critics Association {Winners}
Best Picture - No Country for Old Men
Best Directors - Joel Coen & Ethan Coen
Best Actress - Julie Christie - Away From Her
Best Actor - Daniel Day-Lewis - There Will Be Blood
Best Picture Made for Television - Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee
Best Documentary -Sicko
Best Family Film - Enchanted
Best Animated Film - Ratatouille
Joel Siegel Humanitarian Award - Don Cheadle
Best Foreign Language Film - The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Best Supporting Actress - Amy Ryan - Gone Baby Gone
Best Supporting Actor - Javier Bardem - No Country for Old Men
Best Song - Falling Slowly - Once
Best Composer - Jonny Greenwood - There Will Be Blood
Best Comedy - Juno
Best Young Actor - Ahmad Khan Mahmoodzada - The Kite Runner
Best Young Actress - Nikki Blonsky - Hairspray
Best Screenplay - Diablo Cody - Juno
Best Ensemble - Hairspray
Predicting the Director's Guild
Alternate: Paul Thomas Anderson - There Will Be Blood